Waste Not Want Not – Bridport

The war on single use plastic is on, this battle was vividly highlighted by David Attenborough’s Blue Planet. Since then every major supermarket in Britain has pledged to eradicate unnecessary single-use plastics by 2025 – we wait and see on that one.

Lydia Wilson is one huge step ahead of the game and has opened the first shop in Dorset that encourages customers to bring along their own containers to fill up with as much or as little produce as they require.

Lydia was brought up in Buckinghamshire and through family connections has known the Bridport area all her life. Whilst studying design at Bedfordshire University she saved all she could and has used this money to finance the shop. She single handed opened the shop in the heart of Bridport late April 2018, she is still a one woman show, but she has the enthusiasm & drive of many.

She sells organic, plant based foods from rice to pasta, grains, nuts, flour, herbs & spices, lentils, coffee, dried fruits, household cleansing products etc. She also has a range of Elephant Boxes, Axminster Beeswax Wraps, cosmetics etc. Her list of produce will increase over time, especially more local organic products.

How does it work – you take your own containers in with you (don’t worry she also sells containers/bags) you first weigh your container on the scales and this will print a barcode that you can stick on for future use. You then fill the container with as much of the product you want, reweigh it – the scales will then subtract the weight of the container using the barcode and you pay Lydia – simple…

Lydia is passionate about living sustainably and is keen to work with local organisations providing a service, inspiration and guidance for the community. Her first project is to build a structure out of plastic bottles filled with single use plastic – ecobricks – they are surprisingly strong once filled. But there is a problem, everyone is still plagued with plastic wrappers, but plastic bottles are becoming a rarity. This is where you can help, if you have any clean, empty plastic bottles, please contact Lydia and she will then pass these onto her customers for them to fill or you can fill them yourself with plastic wrappers and take them in. hello@wastenotwantnotbridport.co.uk

‘Waste Not Want Not’ is Dorset’s first zero waste shop owned by an amazing young entrepreneur, so take your container along to the shop, weigh, fill, weigh again and pay – then rejoice in plastic free shopping!